Want to Reduce Anxiety? Declutter These 10 Things Today!

If you walk into your home each day and start to feel anxious because there are too many papers on the counter, or the laundry still needs to be put away, or you’ve stepped on (what feels like) the 100th Lego of the day, learning how to declutter these 10 things can help ease that anxiety.

I know that you do not have a huge chunk of time to declutter your home. You may be juggling so many things that decluttering is the last thing on your mind.

Well, I’m here to tell you that decluttering doesn’t have to take up much of your time. If you can declutter these 10 things, you will be on your way to feeling less anxious in your home.

Declutter These 10 Things to Reduce Anxiety

Plan on spending no more than 15 minutes on each category and make quick decisions. Only touch the item once, then decide if you are going to keep it or donate it. Obviously, if you come across any broken items, toss or recycle them right away.

Ready? Let’s go!

1. Old DVDs and CDs

Unless you are a collector, CDs and DVDs that are no longer used can be donated. A good place to donate them would be your local library. If you decide to keep some of the DVDs and CDs, this case would be an excellent choice to free up storage space.

If you’re having a hard time letting them go, remember that you can now stream most movies and music.

2. Unused Laptops

If you have laptops lying around that you don’t use, you can erase your data and trade them in for a newer model. Best Buy, Apple, Target, and Staples will allow you to trade them in, and if they are not in a usable condition, they will accept them for recycling.

3. Dusty Cookbooks

This is a hard category for some of my clients. Even though they haven’t referred to the cookbook for any recipes in years, they feel connected to them and want to keep them “just in case.” Once I show them how to find the recipes online and create an online cookbook, they are more willing to donate them.

If there are recipes in a cookbook that you would like to keep, take a copy of the recipe or look it up online and print it out. You can start a cookbook of your favorite recipes and donate the books.

4. Books You Have No Intention of Reading Again

We all love to see a bookshelf filled with books, but they’re not serving anyone if you don’t plan to reference or reread them. Consider donating old textbooks (they’ve been updated), books that helped get you through a period in your life (grief, divorce, growing a family), and others you have no further use for.

I’m not asking you to swipe your bookcase clean. I want you to go through your books and ask yourself if you need to keep each one. Once you donate them, they will make room for new books that will serve you well in your current period of life.

5. Clothes That Do Not Fit

I know. This is another tough category. When you declutter your closet, the best way to begin is to take everything out. Seeing how much was in the closet always shocks my clients. Closets can hold a large amount of clothing, and sometimes we just keep buying more to fill it up. Declutter your closet at least once every year to make sure it has some breathing room.

Before putting the clothes back in the closet, ask yourself if the item still fits. If it doesn’t, donate it. If it does fit, the next question is, “Do I love this?” Donate the item if you’re not feeling the love. At the same time, trash any items with stains or rips.

Keeping clothes in your closet that are too small is depressing. It’s a constant reminder that you’re not that size anymore and may never be. Holding on to too large clothes encourages you to gain weight because you know there are clothes in your closet that you can still wear. When you store clothes in your closet that fit the body you have today, you’ll be motivated to stay that size.

6. Travel-Sized Toiletries

If you’re like me, you love to stash those mini toiletries from your hotel stays in your luggage. The problem is that we never get around to using them. I would recommend donating unused toiletries to a homeless shelter.

When my church asked me to create backpacks to give to those without homes in our community, the shelters informed me that travel-sized toiletries were much-needed items.

7. Expired Makeup

Everyone knows that makeup has a shelf life, yet we tend to hold onto them for YEARS! Using expired makeup can cause breakouts, and most times, the product will not transfer onto your skin properly.

You can keep your foundation, primer, and eyeshadow for a year. Lipstick usually lasts anywhere from 6 months to a year, and you should replace your mascara after 6 months. I like to write the date on the bottom of each item once I open it, so I know when to replace it.

8. Chargers, Cables, and Cords

We all have a place in our home where the chargers, cables, and cords live. The problem is that we have no idea which gadget they belong to! Let’s start fresh and declutter all of the loose cords in our home by immediately tossing the ones we have no clue about. Don’t worry; if you find out later that you needed it, you can always purchase another inexpensive one.

Now that we are left with only the cords we can identify, let’s label them, so we’ll always know which gadget it goes with. Keep these labels in the same place you store your cords so you can easily tag new cords that enter your home.

9. Baby Clothes and Toys

If your children are long past the baby stage, consider donating their old clothes and toys to a friend, relative, or donation center for new mothers. You can easily search for an organization that accepts baby clothes and toys in your area. I’m sure it will feel good to know that your items will help someone in need.

10. Games with Missing Pieces

Next, it is time to declutter the games you have around the house and toss them if they are missing pieces. If it is still possible to play the game with pieces missing, feel free to keep the game if it is one that you play often.

How to Declutter These 10 Things

Once you decide to declutter these 10 things, it shouldn’t take much time at all. Just take one category at a time and quickly assess what needs to go. Use two boxes or containers and label them “Donate” and “Trash.” Take about 15 minutes to complete each section, and you’ll soon discover how easy it can be to declutter these 10 things. Download this decluttering checklist to help you get started!

An excellent way to declutter even faster would be to get your family members on board. Ask them to help you make decisions or give them their own spaces to declutter. Offering a reward when the job is finished will help keep everyone motivated.

Take the donation box to your car and immediately take it to your nearest donation center. Now you can enjoy your reward and your newly decluttered spaces.

Do You Need Help Decluttering and Organizing Your Home?

This list may feel overwhelming. If you feel like you may need some hand-holding and accountability to declutter your home, I offer in-person and virtual organization services to help you get through the process. Click here to learn more!

Let me know in the comments section which spaces in your home you are struggling to declutter. I’d love to offer some solutions to help you get started on your decluttering journey! 🙂

Related Articles:

• Do These 5 Things Everyday to Be More Organized
• 5 Simple Ways to Declutter Your Kitchen Counters
• How to Declutter Your Entire Home and Keep Your Sanity